Rate of flow alarm

ABSTRACT

A tapered-bore rate of flow meter is attached to the tubing connecting a source of dry gas to a telephone cable. A photo cell is attached to the rate of flow meter so if the ball of the flow meter interferes with the light source of the photo cell and a signal is produced. This signal is transmitted to a central point where a plurality of signal carriers are connected to a single alarm system. Thus, an excessive rate of flow into any one of a plurality of cables sets off an alarm.

[ Sept. 5, 1972 United States Patent Ray I .340/248 C .340/248 R X [54]RATEOF FLOW ALARM 3,436,751 4/1969 Hron et [72] Inventor: Jimmy Ray,Route 2 Box 33, 3,533,093 10/1970 Webb................

Denison, Tex. 75020 Jan. 4, 1971 Primary Examiner-Daniel Myer AssistantExaminer- Daniel Myer Attorney-Charles W. Coffee [22] Filed:

21 Appl. No.: 103,442

ABSTRACT bore rate of flow meter is attached to the tubing connecting asource of dry gas to a telephone cable. A photo cell is attached to therate of flow meter so if the ball of the flow meter interferes with thelight source of the photo cell and a signal is produced. This signal istransmitted to a central point where a plurality of signal carriers areconnected to a 1 single alarm system. Thus, an excessive rate of flowinto any one of a plurality of cables sets off an alarm.

w m A 20 2 fl4m 2 2m m .3 02 0 28 0 5 b 01 0 2.882 4 4 3 9 M2 0 u n was,m 3 u 9 n 7 m m a 9 m u R 3 M m 9 "Q B "0 0 P n m4 n m mmm n A F m m m Tn m cm S n "h e m R D m u m9 n n 1 u n m a E0. 1 d 1 an 0 U I. Wm 8 1] 10 2 00 6 0O 5 55 5 s 2 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP 5 I972SHEET 1 BF 3 JIMMY c. KAY INVENTOR.

PATENTEDSEP 5 I972 SHEET 2 BF 3 JIMMY c. RAY-INVENTQR.

P'AIENTED EP m 3,689,908

SHEET 3 OF 3 III JIMMY c. RAY INVENTOR.

RATE OF FLOW ALARM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the InventionThis invention relates to telephone communication cables and moreparticularly to detecting a gas leak in a cable which would indicateexcessive loss of dry gas therefrom.

2 Description of the Prior Art At the present time, most telephonecommunication cables are located underground. Being located underground, they are subject to moisture and corrosive environmentsurrounding in the cable, In addition,

such as dried air or nitrogen. With the cable carrying a positivepressure dry gas seal upon it, the corrosion of joints andinsulationjbecause of moisture or corrosive atmosphere is tremendeouslyreduced.

However, a problem exists inasmuch as sometimes the shielding or theconnectionsof the cable begin to leak. A gas rate of flow meter is ofteninstalled.

The'gas rate of flow meters used are of the tapered tube type, having aball in a tapered tube, i.e., the tube is smaller at the bottom thanat'the top. Gravity causes the ball to rest at the bottom unless thereis a flow of gas; the flow of gas raises the ball. As the space betweenthe ball and the tube is greater the higher the ball, the ball willreach a stable position for any rate of flow of gas.

Normally, in a cable there will be a certain amount of seepage, eitherthrough the cable itself orat joints so that there will be a very slowrate of flow. However, in the event of a more serious'leak, the rate offlow will increase, causing the ball to rise in the tube. The visualmonitoring of the meter is not dependable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION I New and Different Function 4 l have placed aphoto cell on the meter at the height of the ball where the rate of flowwould be excessive.

I have found it not desirable to have an alarm for each individual cableand flow meter, but I have found it desirable to connect about 10 of theflow meters in a bank to one alarm. Then, in the event of a leak, thealarm would be given and maintenance personnel would check each of themeters to see which one showed an excess flow. The trouble would then beisolated, the leak found, and corrective measures taken. Objects of theInvention.

An object of this invention is to improve communications.

Another object is to alarm personnel of gas leaks in pressurizedcommunication cables.

A further object is to detect excessive flow through a flow meter. I

Other objects are to achieve the above with a device thatis sturdy,compact, durable, lightweight, efficient, simple, safe, versatile, andreliable, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture, install, adjust,operate, and maintain.

Still further objects are to achieve the above with a method that issafe, rapid, versatile, efficient, and inexpensive, and does not requireskilled people to install, adjust, operate, and maintain.

The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects, uses,and advantages thereof, will clearly appear from the followingdescription and from the accompanying drawing, the different views ofwhich are not necessarily to the same scale.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bank of flow meters, somewhatstylized, showing the mounting of the photo cells thereto.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view through one meter, showing my invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional viewof the photo cell with theball in alarm position shown in dotted lines, taken substantially online 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is the schematicv representation of the electrical circuit used.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, it may beseen there represented ablock 10 of transparent material such as iscommonly available on the market. This block of material has horizontalmanifold or header l2 at the bottom. This horizontal header 12 isconnected to a source of air. Connected to, this header 12 are 10vertical tapered bores 14. Each tapered bore 14 has ball 16 therein.Horizontal tap l8 and vertical tap 20 are at the top of each taperedbore. Attached to the horizontal tap 18 is conduit or tube 22 which goesto the line or cable.

It will'be understood that the structure specifically :described aboveis known and commercially available on the market. I.e., the aircompressor or source passes through the bank of flow meters and outthrough each of the tubes 22, each of the tubes being connected to acable to maintain a positive dry gas shield upon the cable. As used now,the taps 20 are plugged. Altematively, according to the individualinstallation, the horizontal tap 18 may be plugged and the tube to thecable installed in the vertical tap 20.

I have modified this structure by installing light source 24 adjacent tothe gas meters and a photo cell 26 adjacent to the position of the ball16 existing during excessive flow. a

The photo cell 26 could be located outside the bank of tubes so that itviews the ball 16 through the transparent bank 10 in much the same wayas the meters are visually read. However, I prefer to insert the photocell from the top, inside the tube 16 so that excessive flow isdetermined when the ball 16 rises to a point to shut off the light tothe photo cell 26.

Therefore, I have found it convenient to mount the light source 24 closeto the block 10 and near the top thereof. Inasmuch as people withordinary skill in the art are capable of physically mounting a lightsource such as an elongated incandescent tube lamp adjacent to a givenposition, the mechanical structure of mounting the light has not beenshown.

I have mounted the photocell 26 within a metal tube designated as phototube 28 to distinguish it from air have had good success using photoresistors designated as phob transister T1614 by .their manufacturer,Texas Instruments. Transisters of this type are prepared with solder ontheir exterior surfaces so that application of heat to the outside ofthe tube 28 causes the transister to be soldered in place inside thetube 28. One electrical connection to the photo cell 26 is provided bythe metal of the tube 28 and the other electrical connection by lead 30attached to the photocell.

The tube 28 is held in place by rubber washer 32 which is clampedbetween cap 34 screwed upon nipple 36, which is threaded into thevertical tap 20 of each of the tapered bores 14 of the block 10.Therefore, by

structure. Therefore, for any given line, the ball 16 has a normal.position much as shown in FIG. 2, the photo cell 26 may be placed ashort distance above it; therefore, if there is an excessive rate offlow, the ball 16 will With the point 40 negative, there will be nocurrent flow through transister 44 or diode 46 to common line 48. Thetransister 44 is connected between the point 40 and the tap 44 and thediode 46. The diode 46 is connected between the transister 44 and thecommon line 48, all as shown in FIG. 4.- Therefore, the common line 48.will normally be negative as will common point 50. Therefore, therewill be no flow through common transister 52. The common transister 52is connected to the control lead of controlled silicon'rectifier 54. Thecontrolled rectifier 54 will not be conductive;

' therefore, the signal light 56 will be out.

rise to position as seen in FIG. 3, shutting off thelight to the photocell 26, thus producing a signal in the line 30. Just exactlywhere thephoto cell 26is positioned is at the control of the operator. Of course,it is desirable that it be positioned so that temporary line surges ordifference in temperature between day and night, etc.,

will not trigger thealarm, but still placed close enough ments, all ofwhich may not be described'in detail hereafter.

FIG. 4 shows a source of electrical voltage as battery 38. DC voltage isreadily available at central offices of telephone companies. Asillustrated, the positive side i of the battery 38' is grounded. Oneside of each of the photo cells 26 are connected by the tube 28 to thenegative side of the battery 38. FIG. 4 shows only a bank of three photocells 26, however, it will be understood by those skilled in the artthat additional photo cells 26 could be connected almost without limit.The other side of each photo cell 26 is connected by its lead 30 to apoint 40. This point 40 is in each instance connected by resister 42 totap 43 of potentiometer 45. The potentiometer 45 is connected across theterminals of the battery 38. The photo cells 26 are of the resistertype; therefore, it may be seen that if the photo cells 26 have lightupon them, they will be of relatively low resistence and the point 40will be essentially negative. I.e., the voltage between the negativeterminal of the battery 38 and the tap 44 will be split between theresisters 42 and photo cells 26 and if the photo cells are conducting,the point 40 will be essentially the same voltage as the negativeterminal of battery 38.

' However, should any one of the balls 16 block the light to any one ofthe photo cells 26, that photo cell all become non-conductive (or highlyresistant).

When this condition occurs, the point will swing positive and then therewill be an electrical flow through the transister 44 and the diode 46,causing the common line 48 to become positive. It will be noted that thetransisters 44 and the 'diodes46 will isolate the line 48 from the otherpoints-40 so that if any single point 40 goes positive, the-common line48 will go positive. This positive condition 48 will be transmitted.through common resister 58 and isolation diodes 60 to I the common point50. Also, when the common line 48' goes positive, the common point 50will not immediately follow and become positive because it is necessaryfirst to change the charge upon capacitor 62. I have found it desirableto design the circuit, particularly the size of capacitor 62, so thereis approximately a two second delay between the time a ball closes thelight to any photo cell 26 before the point 50 swings sufficientlypositive to cause the rectifier 54 to fire. Therefore, any transitory,condition upon the .line, such as might be caused by opening or closingvalves or the starting of air compressors, will not cause the alarm tobe sounded. However, after a 2-second delay and the capacitor 62 changescharge and point 50 goes positive, the transister 52, which is mnnectedbetween the a common point 50, the control rectifier 54 and theconnection between resister 64 an capacitor 62. Then when the commontransister 52 transmits a signal to the control rectifier 54, then thecontrol rectifier becomes positive and readily conducts electricity fromthe negative side of the battery 38through the control light 56 to thepositive side of the battery.

As may be seen, the control rectifier 54 is connected between thenegative terminal of the battery 38 and the control light 56, which isalso connected to the positive side of the battery as is the resister64. Also, it may be seen that there are a pair of terminals 66 parallelto the signal light 56 by which a signal may be transmitted to a secondalarm at some point quite remote from the signal light 56. Therefore, itmay be seen that a plurality of banks 10 could be connected to a centralpanel so that if any line in any one of the banks had. an excess rate offlow, an alarm would be sounded-at some central panel. I

Once the control rectifier 54 becomes conductive, it will [continue tobe conductive until it is shorted out. Therefore, I have provided re-setswitch 68 between the control rectifier 54 and the signal light 56 andthe negative terminal of the battery so the alarm may be reset after thecontrol rectifier 54 has become conductive. The re-set switch 68, whichis a push button, is also a test switch because whenit is closed, thesignal light 56 will burn and any alarm connected to terminal 66 will beactivated.

Therefore, I have provided a simple system for alarming personnel in theevent of a leak in any one of a plurality of cables.

The embodiment shown and described above is only exemplary. I do notclaim to have invented all the parts, elements or steps described.Various modifications can be made in .the construction, material,arrangement, and operation, and still be within the scope of myinvention. The limitso f the invention and the bounds of the patentprotection are measured by and defined in the following claims. Therestrictive description and drawing of the specific example above do notpoint out what an infringement of this patent would be, but are to [5enable the reader to make and use the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a gas flow meter having a. a block of transparent material with b.a vertical tapered bore therein,

c. an opaque ball in the bore,

d. a gas inlet and outlet to the bore,

e. means for illuminating the block of transparent material,

f. a photo cell, and

g. holding means on the block for holding the photo cell in the taperedbore h. so that the position of the ball changes the light upon thecell, thereby j. producing a signal output from said photo cell;

k. the improved holding means for said photo cell comprising incombination with the above 1. a tube which projects downward into thevertical tapered bore. of said flow meter, and m. said photo cell beingat the bottom of said tube. 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 withthe additional limitation of n. said tube extending through a seal atthe top of aid tapered bore whereby said tube can be raised and loweredto adjust the position at which the photo cell indicates the position ofthe ball. 3. The invention as defined in claim 2 with the additionallimitation of o. alarm means connected to said detector for alarm- I ingmaintenance personnel.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 with the addi-- v. tubing meansconnecting each cable to the source of dry gas for pressurizing eachcable within its sheath with dry gas, w. said flow'meter being withinthe tubing means connecting each cable to its source of dry gas.

1. In a gas flow meter having a. a block of transparent material with b.a vertical tapered bore therein, c. an opaque ball in the bore, d. a gasinlet and outlet to the bore, e. means for illuminating the block oftransparent material, f. a photo cell, and g. holding means on the blockfor holding the photo cell in the tapered bore h. so that the positionof the ball changes the light upon the cell, thereby j. producing asignal output from said photo cell; k. the improved holding means forsaid photo cell comprising in combination with the above l. a tube whichprojects downward into the vertical tapered bore of said flow meter, andm. said photo cell being at the bottom of said tube.
 2. The invention asdefined in claim 1 with the additional limitation of n. said tubeextending through a seal at the top of aid tapered bore whereby saidtube can be raised and lowered to adjust the position at Which the photocell indicates the position of the ball.
 3. The invention as defined inclaim 2 with the additional limitation of o. alarm means connected tosaid detector for alarming maintenance personnel.
 4. The invention asdefined in claim 3 with the additional limitations of p. a plurality ofsaid flow meters, q. one of said detectors on each flow meter, r. awire, and s. isolation means on each detector for transmitting theelectric signal from the detector to the wire, but preventing thetransmission of a signal from the wire to the detector.
 5. The inventionas defined in claim 4 with the additional limitations of t. a network ofcables, each cable having a sheath around it, u. a source of dry gas, v.tubing means connecting each cable to the source of dry gas forpressurizing each cable within its sheath with dry gas, w. said flowmeter being within the tubing means connecting each cable to its sourceof dry gas.